For me, fiction is something where I have the talent but not the vocation. I can write very short fiction when inspired (usually by dreams) - otherwise sheer garbage. But I can write non-fiction professionally. I have a passion for it and sometimes inspiration, but I can put in the perspiration too - pound my head against that wall until it gives. Don't know why I can't take a professional approach to the first, but can to the second. Steven Brust claims the opposite is true for him, though his blog seems to belie this. Maybe it is a way around the block; he thinks of it as blogging, not non-fiction.

MM - wish I could help you with the grey fog. When I hit it I normally end up filling a few pages with "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" and giving up.

There's always the DLD draft, aka, the Don't Look Down draft. You just write down the story in whatever language comes to you, without looking down, no editing allowed. In essence you're giving yourself permission to write crap and know that you can go back and fix it.

I have a very hard time with this method because the internal editor is a big pain in my ass, but I know people who have used the method to break out.

My way of breaking out of the writing fog is to write longhand on a legal pad or in a journal. It's kind of the same idea of the DLD draft because you have far less opportunity to go back and edit.

Anyone around for a beta? I'm going bananas about chapter two.

::raises hand::

What do you need?

I need to know if the story flows or clunks along, what resonates, what falls on its face, what seems trite/dumbed down (which is my biggest ish with writing for kids, it seems I'm afraid I'm talking down to them).

Send away if you want-- Fashionista35@comcast.net

I'm here, too, Allyson. Is this what you've posted on lj? 'Cause I'm about to comment over there. Sorry I've been such a flake about betaing for you. It's a marvelous story.

oooh! Comment! Comment!

I've been horribly nervous.

oh, you are posting on LJ? Can I be on the filter?